At the Crossroads
by lilkorea
Summary: Thranduil, Crown Prince and Heir to the Woodland Realm, was optimistic of his future. However, there is no certainty when an ancient evil awakens and seeks not only vengeance upon a world that has forgotten him but to seek out the aria that freed him. Such a threat effects all within and beyond Middle Earth. Who will save them?
1. Prologue

**AN: I took inspiration and references from many sources: Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Grimm, and random elements of mythology from around the world just to name a few.**

Prologue

Panting heavily, a girl of sixteen ran through the thick brush of the woods, only risking a quick glance over her shoulder for a glimpse of her pursuer. In that split second she only saw shadowed trees and shrubbery before turning her sights ahead of her, dodging a low branch. Running through thick bushes and shrubbery ripped her the hem of her skirt. Adrenaline fueling her to keep running even though her legs were tired and her lungs burned from the heavy breathing. Stopping for a moment to catch her breath she leaned against the trunk of a thick tree where she cautiously peeked around it, not realizing that someone had dropped down silently behind her. In the next instant a pair of strong arms wrapped around her from behind like steel cable, trapping her arms to her sides. She let out a scream of surprise followed by a burst of laughter as the owner of the arms held her tightly against his solid chest, lifting her off her feet and spinning her around before setting her back down.

"You're getting faster." spoke a male voice, carrying a light tone of jovial lightness and delight. He released her from his tight embrace, letting her turn around to look up at him with a wide grin and enchanting blue eyes.

"Funny, I was about to say the same thing about you!" she teased, pushing away from him.

Prince Thranduil chuckled at his childhood friend, their bond strong and unbreakable, sharing everything. Spending hours into the night just talking about everything and nothing. His dearest and most treasured friend, as unlikely it would be under normal circumstances, was a human girl. Though she was no ordinary girl. Aria was from a bloodline of great importance to not only of Middle Earth but to other Earths as well. She was part of a legacy known as Araegisess, translated to the Great Protector; blessed by the ancient gods of lore with mystical powers. Aria was in-training to become the next Araegisess and had been brought along with her uncle, the current Araegisess, Kelly Mendeliir. Kelly's younger brother, Aria's father, who was also an Araegisess, had died when Aria was ten. Her mother had died from sickness when she was two years of age.

With no other family, Kelly took her in and raised her as his own; and when she showed signs of the gift after her father's death he began to train her. Ever since, little by little, he showed her the worlds that she will one day protect, taking her to different worlds of magic and supernatural and more. One of those worlds being Middle Earth of which they frequented the most due to the constant turmoil of its people and countries. It was there that she was introduced to a young Prince Thranduil and they became fast friends, never wanting to part, but when they did it would feel like years before they saw each other again. Aria would then learn that time flowed differently between their world and hers. For each hour that passed in her world a day would pass in Middle Earth.

Now as teenagers and knowing a little more than when they were children, it was clear their friendship was becoming more, and neither of them cared what the worlds (or their guardians) thought.

Thranduil grinned back at Aria, taking her hands and pulling her close to him so that he could lower his head down to kiss her tenderly on the lips. Being young, impulsive and foolishly naïve was all part of being a teenager. Pulling back from the kiss, Thranduil gazed down at Aria, looking into her sapphire blue eyes framed by thick black eyelashes. It didn't matter to him that she was human, it didn't matter that she was to be the next Araegisess, what mattered was that he loved her and she loved him. It didn't matter how fleeting it all was, so long as they lived in the moment together.

With a playful smirk, Aria tweaked his nose and then sprinted off into the woods, the sound of her laughter growing distant. Thranduil made a move to take up the chase again but found his right foot was stuck. Looking down he saw that the earth had swallowed his foot up to his ankle and he immediately knew that Aria used her magic to cheat in their little game. With a forceful yank, he freed himself and took up the chase once more through the woods of his father's realm.

 **xxxxx**

Later that afternoon, Aria sat out in an open field of tall grass and wild flowers, on a blanket that had been laid out, soaking in the warm rays of the sun and humming a song. In a few short hours the sun will be setting on yet another wonderful day. Thranduil had his head resting on Aria's lap while she absently stroked his silky hair as she continued to hum, occasionally singing a few verses softly. It was the day before Aria had to depart with her uncle, so the young couple decided to spend as much time together as possible before then.

"What do you know about this test you must go through?" Thranduil asked.

Aria stopped humming and her hand paused mid-stroke. "I don't know, my uncle says it's different for everyone. He said my father only took an hour while his took nearly two days. He wouldn't tell me more beyond that."

"Are you scared?"

"A little, I don't know what to expect more than that it might take me a long time to complete."

Sitting up, Thranduil moved around to pull her close. "Think of it this way, if you fail then it will be another point in your life that I can bring up whenever I please."

Aria looked at him sharply and gave his chest a slap though she was having a hard time suppressing the laugh that came up. "You're such a jerk!"

He laughed with her, grabbing her wrists and pushing her down, pinning her wrists on either side of her head as he moved on top. Lowering his head down, he pressed his lips to hers, softly at first before becoming bolder and hungrier. He released her wrists, bracing his weight on one forearm while his other hand roamed down her side, over the curve of her hip and grabbing her thigh, pulling it up. The gauzy material of her ripped skirt slipped up her thigh by gravity, letting him touch her bare skin underneath. He felt her hands on his chest, moving up to his neck and then sliding back down, her fingers hooking around the band of his belt and giving it a suggestive tug. He answered her by pressing his hips down to hers, rubbing slowly against her between her thighs, eliciting a soft moan from her.

He looked down at her, taking in her features. Her dark wavy hair was always smelling sweet and always soft to the touch. Her skin was silky like flower petals beneath his fingers, her rosy lips were beautifully shaped and always tempting him for a taste. Then there were her eyes…her incredible, enchanting, enrapturing eyes that were as blue as sapphires and practically unnatural, yet on her they only enhanced her beauty. Lastly was her voice, the sound so pure and angelic. When she sings her voice silences all song birds nearby because they knew they couldn't compare, and in truth her singing was what made him fall in love with her.

The first time he heard her sing was years ago and he had no idea it was Aria. He had come home after patrolling the borders of his father's realm and on his way to meet his father was when he heard the singing. It was soft and distant and curious he had gone to investigate, following his ear, leading him down to an unfamiliar part of his home. It was an alcove carved from rock that overlooked the winding river that cuts through Greenwood. The singing echoed loudly there, bringing him to the end of his search as he came upon Aria, sitting at the ledge, staring out at the sunset. Her singing abruptly stopped when he accidentally kicked a loose rock, getting her attention as she turned around to look back at him. He felt rather embarrassed, almost like he was intruding. He was at a loss for words but Aria simply smiled as she got up and went to him, giving him a warm hug.

"Welcome back!" she said, smiling so brightly at him that it outshined the sun itself. It made his heart beat so hard in his chest that he felt like it was going to burst out of its cavity. That was when he knew…knew that he was falling in love.

Thranduil smiled down at Aria.

"What's with that look?" she asked as she looked up at him, her fingers finding their way under his tunic to touch his bare abdomen, feeling the hard muscles tighten under her touch.

"Just remembering," he replied, sliding his hand from the outside of her thigh to the inside and slowly moving up. He watched as her pupils dilated and her cheeks flushed pink.

"Remembering what?" she asked, her voice slightly quivering.

"The moment I knew you were the one."

She let loose a soft giggle as he lowered his head again to kiss her sweet lips. Aria moaned with pleasure when Thranduil began to slowly grind his throbbing erection against her heated core and his hand gently massaging one of her breasts. This part of their relationship was still relatively new, exploring every inch. They had very recently ventured into this intimate territory, it mostly pertained to kissing and touching and whenever they began to go further they were always interrupted. Ending their teenage, hormonal fueled frenzy. This time was no different as a guard was calling out to them to return.

With a groan Thranduil reluctantly rolled off of Aria and onto his back, hating whoever it was for disrupting their moment. Aria felt the same, letting out a frustrated huff. Both of them laid next to each other for a few minutes, taking the time to cool off.

"Come on, we can continue later." she said before getting up.

"If I recall, that's what you said last time." Thranduil said as he got up as well.

 **xxxxx**

"Aria has grown into a beautiful young woman." Orophor said as he sat with Kelly, sharing a bottle of wine with his long-time friend.

"She's sixteen now, which means she'll be getting ready for her ascension." Kelly said with a sigh. He remembered his ascension and how it changed him, the judgment of the Ancients was more than nerve-wracking, it had been nauseating. He was grateful to have passed their judgment and then be paired with a weapon that will help channel and focus their power. He just worried for his niece, since she is the first female Araegisess in eight generations.

"So soon?" Orophor asked, a little surprised. "Is she not a little young for that?"

"The sooner the better." Kelly said.

"Why are you in such a rush?"

Kelly let out a heavy sigh, "Because I am very sick and at the rate I'm goin', can't keep this up for much longer."

Orophor looked at the man with alarm. "Why did you not say so sooner? I am sure Lord Elrond can heal your ailment."

Kelly waved a hand. "It's not something elven magic can heal. I will be going into treatment back home as soon as Aria has passed the Ancient's judgment."

"And if she fails?"


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

Prince Thranduil was beside himself, trying to collect his thoughts. The conversation he had with his father was both upsetting and predictable. The very thought of it turned his stomach and made him shudder. It was a topic he had hoped would never be spoken of—brought up. Marriage. An _arranged_ marriage. To a Sindarin woman, to carry on the bloodline.

" _It is your duty as Prince of the Realm, as the future Elvenking of Greenwood."_ his father had said. _"I know your heart is filled with another but you will have to set that aside for the sake of our people."_

He dragged his hand down over his face, trying to figure out a way to avoid a life of grey days, deprived of joy and color; empty… _loveless._ He had been stupid to think that Aria, the next Araegisess, would be a better match than a stranger; but it appeared that he was wrong. To his father, nothing was more important than to uphold tradition and keep their line _pure._ His only hope of avoiding tradition and his father's will was to find a way that would change the Elvenking's mind and see that some things are worth changing. For the sake of his sanity and for the sake of future generations…something _needs_ to change…before his father forced him into a marriage for politics.

xxxxx

(Earth: Olympia, WA. High School Acapella Regional's Competition)

Running through the crowded backstage of the theater, weaving past stagehands and other teams of competitors, jumping over thick cords and barely missing running into a rack of costumes. With a huff the teenager made it to the stage entrance where her teammates were all huddled, preparing to go on next. They were all dressed in matching glittering gold sports jackets, short royal blue skirts, white tight shirts, and high-top Jordan sneakers.

"Aria! Where have you been? We're about to go on!" said one of her teammates.

"I'm here now." Aria said breathlessly, catching her breath.

One of the other girls turned to Aria and spoke to her in a low voice so that only Aria could hear. "Did you get it settled?"

"I knocked it out with troll dust; it should buy me an hour." Aria said as they all huddled into a circle with their hands in.

"All right, ladies! Let's win this thing!" she their team captain.

"Please welcome to the stage, Beacon High School's Emerald Sirens!"

Aria followed her team out onto the brightly lit stage, hearing applauds and cheering from the audience as they got into position. Aria quickly glanced down at her bracelet on her left wrist, seeing that none of the crystals were glowing, giving her some relief that she has time. She heard the beat from one of the girls, starting their set. They sang and danced to their practiced choreography, keeping up with the tempo and staying in perfect harmony as Aria sang the solo parts since her voice carried further than the other girls. The audience's energy feeding into their performance, ending on a high note as they did the final pose to end their song.

After they exited the stage, Aria walked with her team through the backstage to the section in the audience for where their team was to sit with the other competitors. Aria slipped away unnoticed as she hurried down a different hallway towards the emergency stairs, jumping over the railings per flight to get to the basement where she left the unconscious monster. How a hobgoblin managed to get into the building wasn't a big concern to her, what concerned her was how it was almost seen, which was strange since normal people can't see the supernatural. But this one was spotted by three different individuals who all said they saw a creepy "shadow" running around.

"Geez, you're a smelly little dude, aren't ya?" she muttered. Reaching into her jacket pocket, she pulled out what looked like a glass marble and tossed it gently, watching it bounce a few times on the floor before stopping next to the creature and opened a portal beneath it. The hobgoblin was engulfed in light and then vanished in a blink. Aria bent down and picked up the marble and put it back in her pocket before she turned to head back to where her teammates were at.

The ride back to Seattle on the bus they rented was filled with excited chatter after winning second place, which qualified them to Nationals. Sitting in the very back of the bus Aria was listening to her music, drowning out the chatter until she received a text message. It was from her uncle and she couldn't help but roll her eyes. What the hell did this salty old man want _this_ time? Reading the text it just read: _Home. ASAP._

She texted back, telling him she's returning from a competition and it'll be a few hours. His response? _ASAP._ Aria replied with an emoji middle finger. It was bad enough that her cousin didn't have the gift, just the sight, and away at college and currently not on speaking terms with his father. Now that it was just her and her uncle it was only a matter of time before it'll be just her since her uncle couldn't keep it up forever. Aria just hoped that she wouldn't have to take over the "family business" until after graduation, and even then she didn't want to be the one to handle everything alone. Plus she was only seventeen going on eighteen. High school, acapella, college enrollment, stopping late night monsters from destroying the neighborhood…she had a life.

"So, what happened?" asked Madison, Aria's best friend and in on Aria's secret, because Madison is what is known as a Hexenbiest, or more commonly known as a witch. Though unlike the generic watered-downed version that _Harry Potter_ painted, a Hexenbiest is the real deal. In the old days a Hexenbiest would have been beheaded immediately, but that was then. With the world as oblivious to the supernatural, unable to see through the rose-tinted glasses, people like Madison were free to live normally in peace. Though how Madison and Aria became friends started off with Maddison catching Aria in the act of banishing a monster in the girls' locker room.

"Random hobgoblin." Aria said, "Easy enough to handle with my eyes closed."

Madison rolled her hazel brown eyes and whipped her perfect blond curls over one shoulder. Like her kind, Madison was super model gorgeous, a mask to hide her true face. Madison only showed her woged (pronounced like vogue) stage a few times in front of Aria, but those were times when she was truly antagonized or in danger. Even then, Aria only saw the face that everyone else saw. "You were cutting it kinda close back there."

"Still made it in time, though." Aria said, looking down at her phone again when she received another text from her uncle.

"Your uncle still bugging you about passing your judgment test thing?" Madison asked.

Aria huffed as she put her phone away. "Yeah. That and his chemo treatments have been making him crabby."

Madison frowned, "How many more rounds does he have left?"

"Two," she said, "Hey, can your mom whip up another one of those potions for him again? It helped him recover from his last round."

"Yeah, no problem. I'll text her right now."

Aria turned her head to stare out the window. Her uncle, for the past year, had been fighting off cancer and had gone through two rounds of aggressive chemotherapy. The treatment practically wasted her uncle, weakening him and making him absolutely miserable. If not for Madison's mom and her potions, Aria was sure that her uncle's misery would take her down, too.

"Are you going to your uncle's bar when we get home?" Madison asked.

"Yeah, you wanna come with? We can pull out the karaoke machine tonight." Aria said, seeing her best friend smirking back at her. Like her, Madison also loved singing, which is why Aria tolerated being part of the acapella team.

Their bus returned to their school late in the evening and from there, Aria and Madison caught a bus to where her uncle's bar was. It was located in the sketchy part of Seattle's downtown, though it wasn't as dangerous as it appeared, at least not to the two teenagers as they walked up to the establishment. The people they passed by would scare or intimidate normal people because of the way they looked and dressed, but they each nodded and greeted Aria and Madison as they walked by, giving them no trouble. Reaching her uncle's bar which was named the Dirty Hound, they entered the establishment. The interior lighting was dim, the air was warm and smelled of beer and cigarettes, the patrons of course were all supernaturals.

"'Sup, Ari? Madi?" grunted one of the patrons, a troll in police uniform.

"Hi, Pete." Aria said as she and Madison walked by towards the bar where her uncle's part-timer, Hatchet, was on duty.

"Hey ladies," Hatchet greeted them with a crooked smile as he pushed his thick-rimmed glasses up his nose. Hatchet is a Willahara, a rabbit-like creature who is naturally skittish and always had an ear for danger.

"Where's my uncle?" Aria asked.

"Oh, you know, in his office and being super moody again." Hatchet said, leaning forward on the bar. "He's been bitchin' about somethin' all afternoon. So, how'd the competition go?"

"We got second place." Madison said.

"Hey! Nice job! That means you're goin' to Nationals, right?" Hatchet said.

"That's right!" Madison said.

"Well then! What can I get you ladies? On the house—but non-alcoholic choices, can't be serving minors." Hatchet said.

"I'll have an Italian soda, strawberry flavor." Madison said, sitting on a barstool.

"Comin' right up!" Hatchet said, "And for our up and comin' Araegisess?"

"I'm gonna check on my uncle." Aria said, heading to the back room. Entering her uncle's cluttered office, she found the man grumbling over some receipts. She noticed the tray of untouched food that Hatchet must have prepared for him. "Uncle, have you eaten anything today?"

"Yes." he replied gruffly.

"More than a bite?"

"What's it matter?"

"Madison asked her mom to make another draft of that potion for you. She'll bring it over as soon as it's ready."

"Getting' help from a Hexonbiest, my father would be rolling in his grave."

"Uncle…"

Kelly sighed and sat up straight in his seat, looking up at his niece. "You ready for your ascension?"

"Tonight?"

"No, not tonight, the stars are not in the right alignment."

"Stars? First you say I had to get it done as soon as possible, then you said I had to wait until I was eighteen, then you said it was the wrong season and now you're saying the stars are not in alignment." Aria crossed her arms in front of her and let out a huff. "Uncle, what's with all the delays?"

She watched her uncle rub his brows tiredly. "Fine…I'm just not ready for the unknown when it comes to you." Aria uncrossed her arms and went to her uncle's side, hugging his shoulders.

"I'm not made of glass, I'll be fine." she said.

He reached up and touched her arm, rubbing his thumb in a circle on her forearm. "After Aiden left…you're the only family I have left."

That gave Aria pause, having known how deeply affected by his son walking out on them after another argument, but she didn't realize just how much. She didn't blame her cousin or her uncle for their falling out, she knew the root cause but never stepped in. "Uncle, I'll be fine. You have my word."

"I know, kiddo…I know."

After another moment of silence Aria pulled away from her uncle and went to the tray of untouched food, picking it up. "I'll make you something to eat, okay?"

Her uncle nodded and waved a hand at her to leave. With a smirk, Aria turned away and left his office, heading back out to the bar where she set the tray down on a clear surface. The patrons of the bar were all facing the small stage, clapping and singing along while Madison sang a pop song. It was one of the songs they sang during their set at Regionals. Aria couldn't help but smile, feeling the positive vibes charging the room. She looked over to see Hatchet bobbing his head to the beat while filling pitchers of beer and serving the patrons.

Aria caught Madison waving her over to join her on stage and unable to resist, Aria hopped over the bar and ran up to the stage, picking up the other microphone and picking the next song. She grinned over at Madison who gave her the thumbs up as they took their marks on the stage and when the song began, they took their cues as Aria held the mic up to her face.

 _Could dress up_  
 _To get love  
But guess what?  
I'm never gonna be that girl  
Who's living in a Barbie world_

Aria and Madison danced their routine set as she sang and Madison backed her up. Their audience captive and clapping along to the beat.

 _Could wake up  
And make up  
And play dumb  
Pretending that I need a boy  
Who's gonna treat me like a toy_

 _I know the other girlies wanna wear expensive things  
Like diamond rings  
But I don't wanna be the puppet that you're playing on a string  
This queen don't need a king_

They circled and twirled, jumped and skipped on the stage in sync.

 _Oh, I don't know what you've been told  
But this gal right here's gonna rule the world  
Yeah, that is where I'm gonna be because I wanna be  
No, I don't wanna sit still, look pretty  
You get off on your nine to five  
Dream of picket fences and trophy wives  
But no, I'm never gonna be 'cause I don't wanna be  
No, I don't wanna sit still look pretty_

They continued on, giving their audience of supernaturals a performance that elevated the mood, keeping the positive energy up as they finished their song with applause and whistling and cheers. The girls laughed together as they took their bow and stepped off the stage. The night went on with everyone in good spirits, other people taking turns on the karaoke machine while Hatchet continued to serve drinks all night. Aria and Madison helped serve drinks and cheap bar food and at one point Kelly came out of his office to assist behind the bar.

"Maybe you should sing here every night." Hatchet said as they closed up the bar for the night.

Kelly let out a gruff growl from the back of his throat. "I'd rather have a slow night."

"Night, Uncle Kelly, Hatchet." Aria said as she headed towards the door to the stairs that lead up to the apartment above the bar. Madison followed right behind, bidding the men a goodnight.

 **xxxxx**

Aria stood on a beach, the sun shining down brightly, lighting up the sky and reflecting off the ocean, making it sparkle. The sand was hot and gave way to each step she took across its soft surface. The tangy smell of salt was mild and the cries of the seagulls were distant at best. Walking up to the shore to meet the lapping waves of the sea, letting it wash over her feet and cooling her skin.

What was she doing here? How did she get here?

"Is this a dream?" she wondered.

"Almost." came a deep male voice. Turning around she expected to see Thranduil but instead she saw someone she didn't recognize; standing on the beach was a man who was the complete polar opposite of her elven prince. Tall stature, olive skin, shaggy black hair, broad shoulders and tapered angled cut down to his hips, muscular arms and long powerful legs; and piercing amber eyes. He was completely dressed in dark leather, decorated with studded belts. He had a rather dangerous feel about him, but at the same time it was incredibly alluring. Sexy, even.

"What do you mean almost?" Aria asked, unable to help how small her voice sounded.

He flashed her a rather charming smirk as he slowly approached her. "Don't tell me you've never ventured into the Spirit Realm before."

"I'm in the Spirit Realm? But I don't remember…" she trailed off; her last memory was going to sleep. Did she enter the Spirit Realm in her sleep by accident?

"You're still so very young and only just coming into your powers, am I right?" he asked, beginning to circle her slowly like a shark. She flinched away when he touched her hair, turning her body so her back wasn't to him. He gave an amused chuckle, his cheeks pulling up and showing laugh lines around his mouth and a dimple in his left cheek. A gold earring flashed on his left earlobe beneath his dark hair. "Relax, I promise that I will not harm you while we are here." he said, emphasizing his promise by crossing his heart with a finger. Aria couldn't help but notice the subtle details now that he was up close; like the rings on his fingers and the leather rope around his neck with colorful gems attached with another necklace on a thin gold chain with a single red pendent.

"Who are you?" Aria asked.

His amber eyes flashed brightly as they locked with her blue eyes. "You are the new Araegisess, well…you will soon be." he said, his voice softening as he raised a hand and gently stroked the back of his knuckles down her cheek. Aria flinched but didn't move away. "After all, you're a potential threat to my future. Unlike your ancestor you might actually be the one who will succeed in killing me."

"What?" Aria suddenly took a step back when he stepped closer towards her, making him laugh again with that rich sound. "So cautious; and you have every right to be. After all…" he suddenly vanished from her line of sight and then the day instantly turned to night with the moon at its zenith. She then couldn't move, her legs and arms like lead. Cold fingers wrapped around her throat from behind and squeezed gently while she heard and felt his hot breath in her ear. "…you will soon learn."

She involuntarily shivered as her pulse picking up speed. His other hand snaked around her waist, his long fingers splayed out over her stomach. She heard him breathing in deeply and then let out a soft sigh.

"Your voice has woken me from my slumber. The sound so beautiful, letting me see color again." he said, his voice like a purr as he buried his face into the crook of her neck, breathing in another deep breath and sending shivers up and down her spine. "I am coming for you, my little bird…and once I have you in my cage I will have you sing for me." Aria choked on a gasp when she felt his hand plunge down her stomach and immediately she woke up, back in her room.

She breathed heavily as she rubbed a hand over her face, slick with a layer of cold sweat. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She jumped when she felt a hand touch her arm but eased up when she saw that it was just Madison sleeping beside her.

 _What the hell was that?_ she thought, wondering who that man was in her dream. Whoever he was she had a bad feeling that her dream was a warning of things to come. Or maybe it meant nothing and she was just having a crazy dream. Plus she suddenly felt guilty for having the hots for Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome when she had Thranduil. Maybe she just missed him? _I think I'll visit him in the morning._ she thought as she laid back down and closed her eyes. The next minute she sat back up and slid out of bed quietly, putting on a pair of tattered skinny jeans and pulling on a sweater over her head.

 **xxxxx**

(Middle Earth: Woodland Realm)

Thranduil awoke suddenly from sleep, startled momentarily when a hand covered his mouth he grabbed the wrist to yank away but paused when he saw Aria's face looking down at him in the moonlight. She smiled at him and put a finger to her lips before removing her hand from his mouth. Sitting up he couldn't help but ask.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered.

"Get dressed, we're going on a date." she whispered back before getting up and skipping over to the foot of his bed, tossing his pants and tunic at him. Thranduil rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he got out of bed, a little perturbed in having his sleep disrupted, but he was also curious as to what Aria had planned as he quickly changed. Looking at Aria she looked excited as she was bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Where are we going?" he asked. Aria grinned at him as she pulled out a piece of chalk from her pocket and went up to the wall and drew a poor outline of a door. She knocked three times and then stood back, pocketing the chalk once more. Thranduil was about to speak, asking what sort of game she was playing but caught himself when suddenly his wall opened up like a door and to his astonishment, on the other side was whole other world.

Aria took his hand and led him through the portal, the wall closing behind them. Eyes wide, Thranduil's senses were overwhelmed as creatures of all types roamed about the streets and flitting around in the air.

"What is this place?" he asked.

"This is the Crossroads Market." Aria answered, pulling on his hand to start walking with her. "It's the largest market in the Netherworld, whatever you need is here; legal or otherwise."

Thranduil sidestepped a rather suspicious looking red puddle. As amazing as the market was, he couldn't help but see how crowded and dirty the streets were, the buildings poorly assembled and built unsafely upon each other. The air was thick and heavy and smelled of tar and bile. After the initial shock wore off Thranduil saw the market as it was: overpopulated and disgusting. Yet it held a certain charm and personality that even he couldn't deny. As he kept close to Aria, their hands still clasped tightly together, Thranduil noticed how she would occasionally pull him down a different street and through tight alleyways. She always did take him to strange places on a whim.

Eventually she pulled him into one of the buildings through a pair of swinging doors on rusty hinges that screeched loudly. Inside it was so poorly lit that Thranduil bumped into a chair as he followed Aria towards a booth in the back with a single oil lamp with the wick burnt down to the nub. Sitting down Thranduil had to ignore the grimy feeling of the wood. Aria laughed lightly at him, obviously seeing his discomfort.

"Your privilege is showing." she teased him.

"Pardon me for having high standards." Thranduil said dryly. "What is this place?"

"A café of sorts." she said, and when he gave her a questioning look she continued. "This is the main place to go to when you want to do a backdoor deal." He raised an eyebrow at her. "Don't worry; I wouldn't do that in front of you."

"So even the Araegisess will make seedy deals?" Thranduil said, "How interesting."

Aria giggled just as a short imp came up to their table, a tray of empty, dirty glasses balanced on its head. "What'll it be kids?" it asked in a high gravelly voice. Thranduil had to crane his neck to look over the table but still couldn't see it.

"A slice of Granny's Scream Cake and regular iced tea." Aria said.

"You want a fresh or overly ripe lemon slice with the tea?" it asked.

"Fresh." Aria said and the imp scurried off out of view in the dim room.

"Scream cake?" Thranduil asked.

"You'll see, it's the best in the Crossroads." Aria grinned, holding his hand atop the table. "I guess this place is a little overwhelming, right?"

"A little?"

She giggled again and he couldn't help but smile. Even in the poor lighting she was still radiant in his eyes. Soon the imp returned, setting two glasses of iced tea with a lemon wedge and plate with a slice of cake with a thick layer of white frosting. It looked normal enough to Thranduil as he picked up his fork and stuck the prongs into the corner and immediately the cake began to scream. He yanked the fork away in surprise and Aria let out a laugh.

"It's called a scream cake for a reason." Aria said, trying to reign in her giggles as she picked up her fork and scooped a piece from the screaming dessert. She put the piece in her mouth, showing him that it was edible. Thranduil took a piece from the cake and put it in his mouth, realizing that it felt and tasted like a normal cake.

"What makes it animated?" he asked, poking the cake and making it scream some more.

"I don't really know, all I know is that it's a popular item on the menu here." Aria said, taking another bite. They finished the screaming dessert and were talking casually until Thranduil brought up the marriage arrangement his father had planned. "Sounds typical."

"I'm surprised you're not throwing this table across the room."

She let out a snort. "Oh believe me, I'd like nothing more than to do just that, but what good will it do if I threw a tantrum?" Aria said, leaning back in her seat with a sigh as her gaze averted down to the table. He knew she was upset and was trying to keep it bottled up. Reaching out and taking her hand in his, he gave it a firm squeeze.

"Aria, I have no intention of marrying a stranger my father has chosen. You are the only one for me." he said, "I would travel to the ends of the earth for you."

She looked up at him and weakly smiled but it didn't last. "Hearing it just reminds me of our positions. You're a prince set to become the next king and I'm the next Araegisess…set to protect the worlds." He could see her eyes growing distant, possibly imagining a future that has yet to come.

"Those titles mean nothing to me." he said, bringing her back to the present as he reached out with his other hand to turn her face towards him. "I make you this vow that when I am king I will change the law so that we can be together."

She snorted a laugh as she wiped at her wet eyes with her other hand of unshed tears. "We'll look back on this moment years from now and say it was wishful thinking."

"I'm serious, Aria."

"I know you are…"

He pulled her to him as he leaned over, kissing her lips tenderly. "I love you, Aria. You are my heart." He looked into her eyes, seeing the hope lighting them up in their blue depths. He saw the smile slowly reach her eyes and he smiled back before pulling her in for another kiss, this time a little harder as he deepened the kiss, slipping his fingers into her hair, only pulling her closer.

Aria surged forward, pushing him back in his seat as she boldly straddled his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck. Thranduil moved his hands down her sides to rest on her hips, pulling her closer and then sliding up under her sweater to touch her hot skin. Lost in the moment he forgot where they were until someone cleared their throat, interrupting them. Pulling away from each other they both looked to see the imp had returned, taking their dishes.

"Get a room, you two." he grunted before hurrying off to the back.

They looked back at each other and burst into laughter as Aria got up from his lap and Thranduil stood up as well.

"Not a bad idea." Thranduil said, suggestively wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her close. Aria smirked up at him as she held up her chalk.

 **xxxxx**

When they stepped through the door from the Crossroads market and back into Thranduil's room, the young prince pulled Aria to him, standing chest to chest. Like she weighed less than nothing, Thranduil picked her up, her legs automatically wrapping around his waist as their mouths locked onto each other. He carried her over to his bed and playfully tossed her onto the bed. Aria let out a giggle that was quickly silenced by Thranduil, kissing her deeply as he dropped his weight on top of her.

Thranduil pushed her sweater up her torso and over her chest, his pupils dilating when he realized that she wore nothing underneath; not even that frustrating contraption called a bra. Aria pulled her sweater over her head but Thranduil caught her hands, binding her hands in her sweater before kissing his way down her neck and to her chest. He took one of her nipples into his mouth, laving his tongue over it and making it hard and pert. His free hand took her other breast, massaging it and teasing the nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Aria moaned and writhed beneath him, biting down on her bottom lip to keep her volume in check while her prince heated up her blood.

She arched upward, her legs pulling him tightly to her as he ground his hips against hers. With a little wriggling, Aria freed her hands from the binding of her sweater, immediately going to his head, gripping his hear tightly as she forced him up to kiss her. He gladly obliged her, meeting her hunger with his own as they both stripped off the rest of their clothes, hands touching at every inch of bare skin that was within reach. Pulling back enough from their frenzy, Thranduil reached down between them as he guided the head of his cock to her entrance. He locked eyes with her, seeking permission through her eyes as he gently pushed a little of himself against her. A shaky breath escaped her parted lips as she gazed up at him, combing back his platinum hair from his face.

He didn't need her to say it as her eyes told him everything. Gently, he pushed his head between her lips and Thranduil needed to pause as the very sensation nearly made him cum prematurely. Once he got a hold of himself he slowly pushed the rest of the way, being as gentle as he can until he was completely inside her. He dropped his head into the crook of her neck, trembling in pleasure as he had to once more control himself. It didn't help that this was both their first time, and she felt so incredibly good. He had no idea how tight and hot she was, and her sweet perfume combined was driving him crazy. He felt Aria's fingers raking through his hair again, her nails scraping his scalp, sending a shiver down his spine.

Sliding one arm underneath her back and the other braced by her head he raised his head up to kiss her again. Slowly he pulled back and then pushed forward, both of them breathing heavy and even, finding their rhythm. Together they moved as one, learning each other's bodies, feeling each other's breathing and heart beat. As they got comfortable with each other, Thranduil grew bolder and more confident as his thrusting became surer, harder, and faster. Each thrust made it harder for Aria to bite back her voice, needing to bite down on her lip or his shoulder as the pleasure built up between them. Until finally she couldn't hold it back as she wailed in pleasure right as Thranduil's entire body seized up, joining her wails of ecstasy.

Coming down from their height of pleasure, breathing heavily and adrenaline slowly fading, they laid in each other's arms in silence. With more effort than he thought he needed, Thranduil pulled out of her, still semi-hard and rolled over onto his back. They stared up at the ceiling, not speaking or looking at each other, just merely basking in the afterglow. Thranduil was the first one to break the silence as he reached over and took her hand in his.

"That was…"

"…yeah, I know…" Aria breathed.

He lifted her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of her hand before laying it over his chest. After another minute of silence he raised himself up onto an elbow, turning his body towards her. They locked eyes again, smiling at each other. Both of them were still flushed pink.

"Are you…all right?" he asked nervously, reaching over and brushing away a few strands of hair that had stuck to her cheek from sweat.

"Better than all right." she smiled, sitting up and pushing him back down as she moved to straddle his hips. She ran her hands up her abdomen and chest, feeling the hard muscle under his smooth skin flex beneath her roaming touch. Thranduil laughed as he moved his hands up and down her thighs.

"You're so beautiful, especially at this angle." he said, his eyes roving over her naked body.

"Can't complain about the view from up here either." she teased, lowering down to kiss him tenderly. She moaned softly, rubbing herself against him, bringing his semi-hard cock to full alert. Thranduil's hand slid up to grip handfuls of her buttocks, moving her harder against him as he lifted his hips up against her.

Aria sat back up, lifting herself up with his help before coming back down, swallowing him fully again between her legs. She let out another moan, closing her eyes at the sensation before looking back down at him, meeting his heated gaze as she rolled her hips, reigniting the fire between them. She rolled her head back as she held onto his forearms, feeling his fingers digging into her hips, both climbing up the mountain of pleasure.

 **xxxxx**

Aria stayed with Thranduil, sleeping together in his bed, tangled in his bed sheets. Both of them spent the entire night wrapped in each other's limbs, from slow and gentle to fast and rough. By the time the pre-dawn began to light the sky a hazy purple they had finally gotten too worn out to even open their eyelids. No one disturbed them, or at least, they didn't wake up if anyone came in and out of Thranduil's room. Aria slept like the dead until mid-afternoon when she finally began to wake up, still tired and incredibly sore, but she had no complaints about it as she smiled into her pillow. With a yawn and a slow stretch she felt Thranduil still sleeping soundly behind her, his face pressed into her back while an arm was draped around her waist.

She managed to sit up, covering her yawn with a hand as she turned over while trying not to disturb her sleeping boyfriend. Halfway rubbing her eyes she paused and looked up, her blue eyes widening as she paled. Instinctively she pulled the sheets up to cover her chest while blindly she reached for Thranduil and not too gently woke him up by slapping wherever she could reach.

With a tired groan Thranduil woke up. "What?" he grumbled as he sat up before his attention was pulled towards the foot of his bed and started at the unexpected sight. _"Ada!"_

King Orophor stood at the foot of his son's bed, his face unreadable though it was clear that the Elvenking of the Woodland Realm was displeased at what he was seeing.

"Aria…" Orophor began, his tone not betraying him as he turned his silvery gaze upon the teenage girl. "It would be best if you go home right away. I have important matters to discuss with my son."

Aria just nodded her head as she subconsciously tugged the sheets further up her front. She was a bit mortified to have been caught naked by her boyfriend's father; the only thing she can be grateful for was that he didn't walk in on them in the act. When Orophor left, Aria released her breath she didn't realize she had been holding. Looking over at Thranduil she caught his eye, quiet for a moment before both of them bursting into nervous giggles.

Thranduil leaned over, kissing her naked shoulder. "You all right?"

"You're dad is _super_ pissed." Aria said, unable to hide her nervous grin.

"Perhaps this is a good thing."

"How is your dad finding out we slept together a good thing?"

"This can work in our favor in swaying my father against the arranged marriage." he kissed her shoulder again, moving up to her neck. His lips touching every red mark he left on her skin. "My father may want someone else as my wife but even he can recognize true love."

Aria snorted, "I doubt that's how your dad sees it."

"And what do you think he sees?"

"He more than likely sees two stupid teenagers."

Thranduil just gave a dry laugh as he bit her shoulder and then moved to kiss her cheek. "Whatever he sees, it will not change how I feel about you." he turned her face towards him, kissing her lips. "I love you."

She smiled against his lips. "I love you, too."


End file.
